Wheel construction



Sept. 20, 1932. 1,878,528

WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed 001;. 30, 1931 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OF'FTGE.

HERMAN L. KRAEFT, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MURRAY OHIO MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Application filed October 30,. 19.31.. Seria1No..572,050.

' the joints between the spokes and the hub will be concealed from view. A further object is to provide a wire spoke wheel with a hub construction, which will tension the spokes and maintain them in alignment.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description, relating to the accompanying drawing, wherein I show apreferred embodiment of my invention. The essential characteristics of the invention will be summarized in the claim.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a juvenile vehicle, provided with wheels embodying my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are radial sections through the hub portion of the wheels, as

indicated by the lines 22 and 3-3, respectively, on Fig. 1; Figs. 4: and 5 are elevations of certain members of my improved hub; Figs. 6 and 7 are sections, on Figs. 4

and 5, respectively.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and especially to Fig. 1, I illustrate a childs vehicle 10 supported by suitable wheels 11 and 12. lVhile the invention is illustrated in connection with a velocipede, it is equally adapted for use in other vehicles, such as toy automobiles. wagons and bicycles.

The wheels 11 and 12 comprise in general a rim 15, which is joined by suitable spokes 16 to a hub member 17 or 17a. The hub 17 of the front wheel 12 is mounted on an axle 18, supported in bearings 20, carried by the front fork 21 of the vehicle. The rear wheel hub member 17a is provided with suitable anti-friction bearings 25, which are interposed between the hub and a relatively stationary axle member 26, carried by the rear fork member 27 of the vehicle.

The front hub construction is such that the wheel 12 may be positively driven through the medium of. suitable pedal. operated. cranks 29, which arerigidlysecured to the axle'member 18. Thehub- 17 comprises atubular member 30,.providedat. its opposite ends with pressed metal cap members31. Each. cap 31 has an. internal flange 32,.which embraces the axle 18,. and is drivingly retainedthereon by suitable lugs 33 ofthe shaft which engage recesses 34 in the flange32. Thecap 31 has a radial fiange3'5 extending outwardly from the hub. towards. the rim. 15. The spokes 16 are secured. to the rim the usualmanner and pass through openings36 inthe flange ofthe cap31. The ends of thespokes which pass throughthe flange are riveted over, as at v'37, thereby securing the spokes inplace:

Each of the capmembers .31' has an annular surface, parallel. with. the axis of? the. wheel, and extending some slight. distance outwardlly from the spokes. In children.s..vehicles, especially thosewhich. are manufactured to sell. at a minimum price, it is highly desirable to provide a; simple meansv of? placing the spokes under tension after they have: been secured to thehub. andrim. Eor'thisfpurposev Ifprefer to providea plate-like member 50, having acent'r'al. opening 51% and arranged to be slidl overv anend portion 52iofthe cap member. 31. This annular. disc or plate 'is provided at its outer edges with an axially inwardlyv extending annular flange 53, arrangedto engage the spokes 160fjthe wheel 'andlpress them inwardly.

The plate 50 is secured in place by metalflic lugs 55', which are welded or otherwise securedtfo the inner face ofthe disc: These lugs are so arrangedthat theyextend'inward- 1y from the disc toward the spokes, in, a plane parallel to the axis of" the hub. When the disc-isplaced upon the huhmember 31,,the inwardly extending portions56'ofthese lugs engage the outerperiphery. of" the annular rim 35,, to. which the spokes are secured.

They are then bent downwardly and outwardly into contact withthe inner surface of thisrim, thereby-securingthe disc 5'0' inplace with its flange.53,- .bearing against the spokes. It will. be noted. that the opening 5l' ofthe disc is such that it permits a sliding move-.

60, arranged to enclose the end 61 of the shaft 26. In this instance the hub is constructed similar to that described. However, instead of being drivingly secured to the shaft, it is "rotatably mounted on the shaft by bearings 25, heretofore mentioned. This hub member is provided-with an annular ring 70, similar in all respects to the ring 50, heretofore described. V r

The securing members which secure the to cover the end of the hub, and metal tongues carried by the cup member and secured to the plate and bent into contact with the hub to secure said plate and cap in place thereon, whereby the periphery of the dished plate is maintained in contact with the spokes.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

7 L. KRAEFT.

ring or disc to the wheel, are carried as an integral part of a hub cap 60,'which projects through the opening 63 in the center of the disc70, and is arranged to embrace the hub member 31a. The hub cap 60 is provided with apl urality of ears 72, which extend outwardly from the cap and are'welded to the disc 70, as at 75. The ears 72 are bent inwardly from the disc 70, as at 7 6, fo'rming lugs arranged to embrace the outer periphery of the ring 31a. After the disc 70 has been placed in position on the wheel. the lugs 76 are bent to engage the inner surface'of the ring 31a. As heretofore'explained in connection with Fig. 2, the arrangement is such that an annular rim 77 of the disc 70 is brought to bear against the outer surface of the spokes, thereby increasing the tension on the spokes. v

f It will benoted that the annular flanges 53 and 76 of the discs 50 and 7 0, respectively, are spaced some distance from the joint between the spokesand the hub. It hasbeen found that this is highly advantageous in maintaining the spokes in tension, and aids in preventing the spokes from becoming loose,

either at their junction with the flange 31 of the hub or at the rim. This is due to the fact that-the pressure exerted by the annular flanges of the discs against the spokes dampens the vibration of the spokes, thereby lessening the possibility of their becoming loose at the junction points with the rim and hub. Iclaim: 7 a Ina vehicle wheel, a hub through which the axle passes, a rim spaced apart from the hub, spokes secured to the rim and to the hub'to maintain the spaced relation between the hub and the rim, said hub being provided with an end extending beyond the plane of said spokes, a'dished plate provided with an open ing and arranged to slidably embrace said extended end of the hub, a cup shaped member interposed between the plate and the hub 

